Bruno Palma - one of the winners in last year's 'Best in Show' - helps launch the call for entries to the 2011 competition

In addition to our work with The Digital Hub, we also managed a major research launch for CARDI – the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland – recently.  This focused on the over-prescription of medicine to elderly patients in residential care settings, and attracted wide-ranging media coverage, including this editorial in The Irish Times.

Active Retirement Ireland (ARI), meanwhile, has also been keeping us busy: last week, we worked on a media strategy for the organisation aimed at publicising the impact of re-introducing passport fees for over-65s, and we also attended the ARI AGM in Killarney, which was widely covered in print and broadcast media.  It focused on the importance for men of keeping active after they retire, and Dr. Martin McAleese delivered a keynote address on this theme at the event.

Yesterday, we had the official launch of the www.energyinnovation.ie blog.  We have worked with ESB International for the past four months on developing this blog, which focuses on key trends and developments in the energy sectors in Ireland and abroad.  Today, we’re working with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties – and a coalition of 17 leading non-governmental organisations – on the launch of the ‘Your Rights. Right Now‘ report on Ireland’s human rights record.  The report was launched this afternoon by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch TD; later tonight, a political briefing event for TDs and members of the diplomatic corps will take place.

Other projects on which we’ve recently worked include the continuation of our leadership training programme for the New Communities Partnership; stakeholder and political briefing events on MIPEX, on behalf of the British Council (Ireland) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland; the launch of the current funding round for the Simon Cumbers Media Fund; and the conclusion of the programme of events we devised to mark the 30th anniversary of Ballymun Youth Action Project.

ESBI bloggers pictured at the launch of www.energyinnovation.ie yesterday

So that’s a quick round-up of our work over the past month.  For more information on what we do on a day-to-day basis, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.

For the past few months, we’ve been working with Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP) to plan and deliver a programme of events to mark its 30th anniversary.  The Project was Ireland’s first ever community-based response to drugs: it was founded in 1981, after three young people died from drugs-related causes in Ballymun.  To mark the 30th anniversary, we’ve been working with BYAP on events that are running now, throughout the month of March.

Artist and stand-up comedian Dean Scurry pictured at the launch of the programme of events marking the 30th anniversary of Ballymun Youth Action Project

Last week saw the official opening of the programme of events, with a visit to BYAP by President Mary McAleese; the launch of a ‘BYAP 30 Years’ art exhibition curated by acclaimed artists Guggi and John Duffy; the planting of a commemorative rose-bush; and the unveiling of a major public art project, developed in collaboration with axis Ballymun.  Next week will see a national conference on substance misuse in Dublin Castle, and a community festival at the plaza in Ballymun, featuring a headline performance by Christy Dignam and Joe Jewell from Aslan, along with a whole host of performances by local acts.  All of the BYAP 30th anniversary events are open to the public, free of charge.  For further information, click here.

In addition to our work with BYAP, we’ve been busy with ESB International recently: in the past few weeks, ESBI’s new corporate blog – www.energyinnovation.ie – went live.  DHR Communications oversaw the planning and development of the blog, and advised ESBI on content planning.  Members of ESBI’s senior management team are the bloggers for this venture, sharing their insights and expertise on a broad range of topics relating to the energy sectors in Ireland and abroad.  So we’d advise anyone with an interest in energy to check it out and subscribe for regular updates!

We’ve also been travelling the length and breadth of the country in the past few weeks, visiting colleges and meeting students from all over Ireland as part of an information roadshow for the ‘Generation Next’ entrepreneurship competition.  We’re working with the South-East Regional Authority on developing and promoting the competition, which we launched last month with a little help from ‘Dragon’s Den’ star – and leading entrepreneur – Sean Gallagher.

Sean Gallagher pictured with some of Ireland's future entrepreneurs at the launch of 'Generation Next'

And, of course, in the middle of all this work, a general election took place!  In the lead-up to this, we advised the Family Resource Centre National Forum on a pre-election initiative that resulted in over 200 candidates signing a pledge to maintain support for the FRC programme.  We also provided event management services to Trócaire and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for a hustings event, addressed by representatives of all major political parties.  And we worked with the Immigrant Council of Ireland on the launch of ‘Count Us In’, a campaign aimed at highlighting the voting power of new Irish citizens.

Representatives from the Immigrant Council of Ireland pose outside the gates of Leinster House at the launch of the 'Count Us In' campaign

The Lord Mayor, Cllr. Emer Costello, established the Commission on Employment to examine how Dublin City Council and other public, private and NGO agencies can help promote economic renewal and employment growth in Dublin.

The Commission will identify and make recommendations for actions in the key areas of:

1. Unemployment and employment.
2. Business, entrepreneurship and finance.
3. Education, skills and training.
4. Volunteering and the social economy.

The Commission is currently inviting individuals and organisations to propose ideas and actions in relation to these key areas.  Submissions (ideally no more than five pages in length) should be made to the Lord Mayor’s Office, Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 or by email to lmce@dublincity.ie. Further information is available on www.dublincity.ie or by telephoning 01-2225233. The deadline for receipt of submissions is Friday, 4th December 2009.

In addition to his work with DHR Communications, Dermot Ryan is Chairperson of SWIC LEC – the South West Inner City Local Employment Centre – placing him in an ideal position to contribute to the work of the Commission on Employment.

Full details of the work of the Commission on Employment are available here.

One of our first services to ARI will be a media training roadshow: we’re going to be travelling around Ireland in the coming weeks to meet Active Retirement Associations throughout the country and give them training in media skills and accessing policymakers.

Our first stop on the ARI roadshow will be Westport in Co. Mayo – we’ll be delivering training there tomorrow (18.09.09) to the Western Region representatives of Active Retirement Ireland.

Further information about ARI is available here. 

Further info on Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee is available here.